The Girl with the Gift

Chapter 16

Macey woke up to a blinding light and a lot of white reflection—heaven perhaps? Light turned into shadows, shadows of blue and dancing figures. The light disappeared with the sound of a curtain closing, but the shadows didn't. There was one particular shadow in a white sweater, an angel that looked so much like... Cas. A Cas angel? Macey smiled. The Cas angel took her hand and smiled too.

The Cas angel spoke but it seemed like several minutes before Macey could comprehend what words were coming out of her mouth. "You're okay! The bullet missed your major organs." She cried.

"The bullet..." Macey's eyes opened. "What happened?" She tried to sit up but then noticed the stabbing pain in her right side.

"Stop!" Cas ordered, trying to keep her down. "If you move you could tear your... I forgot what it was called."

"I was shot?" Macey thought she avoided the tranquilizer dart, but what she felt was 1000x more painful. Somehow she had been shot with an actual bullet last night.

"Where's Alex?" She asked.

When she looked across the room she saw Luke standing next to the doorway. His face was stoic, and he seemed unsure of what to say.

"You..." Macey almost tried to get up but Cas was freakishly strong and Macey realized the drugs were stopping her from flinging Cas across the room and running for Luke at full speed.

"Macey, Luke told me everything."

Macey's mouth hung open. "You mean you know that he tried to have his own brother and me killed?!"

"I know that's what you think..." Luke sighed. "I don't expect you to like me anytime soon. I just hope one day you'd understand."

"Understand what? You're a criminal!"

"He's regretted everything, Mace!" Cas defended.

"And you're defending him?" She rasped. "He can't keep you safe! He's involved with thugs who are operating some secret drug ring!"

"He's denounced the entire thing. Because of his help in getting you to Alex in time and trying to over-throw the ring-leader, he may get a pardon."

Macey's scowl only deepened.

Luke sighed, his eyes staying on Cas. She nodded and he left the room.

"If it wasn't for Luke you would have never known where to look for Alex."

"I could have figured it out."

"He could have died after being thrown in the lake. He made a bargain with them to let me go in exchange for you..."

"Oh yeah I like him sooo much better now." Macey snorted sarcastically.

"Good to see your funny bone didn't break." Cas rebutted in an icy tone.

Macey looked up towards the tv, where she was shocked to see Alex's face. He was surrounded by reporters outside of JW Tower. The story headline on the local CBS affiliate read 'JW President Addresses Fraudulent Deal With Apollo'.

"Alex has been busy talking to the reporters." Cas sighed.

Macey couldn't help the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. The bad guys were gone, but so was Alex's need to have her by his side now.